Field notes
Reading Thai power bills for mining budgets
A practical walkthrough of the bill sections we highlight during the Electricity Budgeting Clinic.
Mining profitability models collapse when electricity is treated as a single flat rate. In Bangkok seminars we ask every attendee to bring a recent bill and mark three zones: energy charges, demand or capacity charges, and fixed or service fees that continue whether miners run or idle.
Energy charges that move with runtime
Find the kilowatt-hour blocks and any time-of-use differentials. If your site runs harder overnight, those off-peak rates belong in a separate column rather than averaging into one comforting number that never appears on the invoice.
Demand charges that surprise expansions
Many operators expand a rack after looking only at energy rates, then discover demand charges jump when simultaneous draw rises. Our clinic worksheet forces a “peak half-hour” estimate so breakeven math includes that cliff.
Fees that belong in the monthly floor
Meter fees, power-factor penalties, and landlord pass-throughs rarely vanish when hashrate dips. Treat them as a monthly floor under every profitability scenario.
Bring the bill to class
Paper or PDF works. Highlight the three zones before you arrive so table time goes into budgeting rather than hunting for line labels. If you are ready for deeper payback work afterward, the Breakeven Planning Seminar builds on the same sheet.